Attempt at modelizing the dental arch form of the Senegalese subject

Abstract

Insufficient attention paid to dental arch forms during orthodontic treatment can give rise to relapses. The aim of this study was to calculate the mean dental arch form of the Senegalese subject and to suggest a characteristic polynomial function. Our sample comprised 57 Senegalese subjects aged between 13 and 33 years displaying an ideal occlusion. By superimposing all the arch curves of the different subjects in the series and by adopting intermolar distance as the standard unit, we were able to calculate the mean maxillary and mandibular arch forms and suggest a polynomial function of 6 degrees enabling production of almost perfect reproductions of these forms.